Sox waste strong Workman outing, fall in extras

Monday

Jun 16, 2014 at 2:00 AM

BOSTON — A decision is looming for the Red Sox.

Eric Avidon

BOSTON — A decision is looming for the Red Sox.

Their offensively challenged lineup veritably exploded for five runs on Thursday and 10 on Friday, but has since reverted to its anemic production. Yet on Sunday, despite scoring just twice for the second straight game, the Red Sox had a chance to win into extra innings.

They didn't, losing 3-2 to the Indians when Nick Swisher led off the 11th with a home run down the right-field line and the Red Sox went down silently in the bottom of the inning. But the opportunity for a third victory in four games was there, and the reason was Brandon Workman.

When the Red Sox managed just one run last week in an entire three-game series in Baltimore, they still won a game because Workman and the Boston bullpen delivered a shutout, and Workman backed that up with six strong innings against the Indians on Sunday.

"He threw the ball really well. ... He was in control of the game," said catcher A.J. Pierzynski. "He pitched great for us."

Long after Workman departed, Junichi Tazawa (1-1) was brought on to pitch in the 11th. The first batter he faced was Swisher, who hit a laser that just whistled past the Pesky Pole for a 3-2 Indians lead.

Daniel Nava, David Ross, and Grady Sizemore then went down in order against Cody Allen (3-1) in the bottom of the 11th.

"We missed some chances today," said Brock Holt. "They got a big home run from Swisher. ... That's kind of been the theme — we're getting guys on but we're not getting guys in."

Workman entered the starting rotation when Felix Doubront went on the disabled list, and he's simply been better than Doubront.

He made three starts last year when Clay Buchholz first got hurt, suffering the neck strain that bothered him the rest of the season, and in 18 1/3 innings gave up five runs, struck out 18 and walked four. He's now made five starts this season, and given up 10 runs in 28 innings, striking out 21 and walking 11.

For his career as a starter, his earned run average is 2.91 in 46 1/3 innings, he's struck out 39, and walked 14.

Doubront, meanwhile, had a 5.12 ERA before going on the DL, and seemed to regress this year rather than progress.

In three years as a starting pitcher, his strikeouts per nine innings have fallen from 9.3 in 2012 to 6.1 this season. His strikeout/walk ratio was 2.35 two years ago and is down to 1.63 in 2014. And his WHIP, which started at a high 1.45, dipped ever-so-slightly to 1.43 in 2013 before rising to 1.56 this year.

Doubront has had stretches of real effectiveness, and thrown in the occasional spectacular start, but too often he's mediocre, and he's had more than two full seasons in the Red Sox' rotation to show his worth.

Workman, on the other hand, has had only short bursts of opportunity. He's excelled when given the chance, and though more time in the starting rotation may expose his flaws, he has at least earned a longer look.

Frankly, Rubby De La Rosa has also acquitted himself well — he's been subbing for Buchholz — but Workman has a lengthier track record and at this point is more deserving of a chance to supplant Doubront.

"We still have some time before (Doubront and Buchholz) come back — we're not here to make a decision yet — but (Workman) is doing everything he possibly can to not only make a strong statement but put us in position to win each time he's walked to the mound," said manager John Farrell.

Workman, meanwhile, said, "That's not really something I'm trying to worry about. I'm trying to throw the ball as well as I can on my day, and that will take care of itself one way or the other."

Despite how the day went for Workman, he was tagged for a solo home run by Michael Brantley in the top of the first inning to give the Indians an early 1-0 lead.

The Red Sox quickly answered, however, with Holt leading off the bottom of the inning with a single, taking second on a wild pitch by Corey Kluber, moving to third on a groundout by Dustin Pedroia, and scoring when David Ortiz drilled a single high off the Green Monster in left-center.

The Red Sox went up 2-1 in the fifth with Jackie Bradley Jr., who walked with one out, moving to third on a single by Holt and scoring on a fielder's choice off the bat of Pedroia.

The Indians evened the score in the seventh. Workman walked David Murphy to start the inning, then gave up a single to Carlos Santana to end his afternoon with Murphy taking third on the play. Burke Badenhop was summoned, and Yan Gomes lofted a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Murphy.

Then came three long, unproductive innings before Swisher delivered the decisive blow on a day Workman gave the Red Sox food for thought.

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